Africa Cup of Nations
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0 vs 2
Played
January 29, 2013 5:00 PM GMT
Royal Bafokeng Stadium — Phokeng, NW
Referee:‬ B. El Ahrach‎
Attendance:‬ 15000‎
 
 
Victor Moses 80′ (PG)
 
Victor Moses 90′ (PG)

Nigeria-Ethiopia Preview: Super Eagles aim to right the wrong of matches past

The final round of Group C matches threaten to ignite as Naija and Ethiopia face either glory or gloom in South Africa

By Ed Dove

More On :  Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ethiopia vs Nigeria
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NIGERIA
Angola
Enyeama
Omeruo, Oboabona, Ambrose, Elderson
Igiebor, Mikel, Ogude
Musa, Emenike, Brown
ETHIOPIA
 Morocco
Tadele
Hailu Reda,Debebe, Tesfaye, Bogale
Zinabura, Beyene, Adis, Bekele
Saladin, Assefa

Rustenburg will be the venue for the Super Eagles’ final Group C match—a contest which will decide the immediate future of the nation’s football. How will the nation remember the 2013 Cup of Nations? Will this be the year of what-ifs and might-have-beens? The year when the side conceded late equalisers against Burkina Faso and Zambia, throwing away four points in the process.

Or, will it be the year when the side overcame some perceived injustices to qualify from a tricky group and make an emphatic return to the continent’s high table? The future is still in the hands of the Super Eagles, for whom the permutations are numerous.

All Stephen Keshi will be telling his boys is that a win against Ethiopia will guarantee their place in the quarter-finals. The Black Lions may well be in disarray after their demolition at the hands of Burkina Faso, and shorn of the confidence that characterised their opening battle with Zambia, the Big Boss may well identify the Walya Antelopes as ripe for the taking.

After impressing in the first two fixtures, the duo of Emmanuel Emenike and Ahmed Musa will likely be the key attacking options for Nigeria. Despite his nervous penalty miss, John Obi Mikel’s improvement throughout the Zambia match will not have gone unnoticed—indeed, it was his pass which led to Emenike’s opening goal against Chipolopolo.

Defensive resiliency has been the issue for Naija in the first two games, and Keshi might be tempted to recall skipper Joseph Yobo, who sat out of the second fixture against Zambia.

  DID YOU KNOW?
  • Ethiopia, ranked 110th in the Fifa world rankings, are the lowest ranked team in the competition.

  • The east Africans return to the competition after a 31-year absence, but are yet to register a victory this year.
  • Nigeria skipper Joseph Yobo was set to win his 90th cap against Zambia, but after not making it onto the pitch, that land mark could be sealed against Ethiopia.

  • In contrast, Kenneth Omeruo, who replaced the Fenerbache man is relative newcomer to the side – the 19-year-old is currently playing for ADO Den Haag on loan from Chelsea.

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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Ethiopia 0-2 Nigeria
    15.61 %
  • Ethiopia 0-3 Nigeria
    13.22 %
  • Ethiopia 1-3 Nigeria
    9.02 %
Head to Head
Africa Cup of Nations ‎(ACN)‎ Jan 29, 2013 Ethiopia 0 - Nigeria 2
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Last Five Matches
Ethiopia
Mar 24, 2013Ethiopia 1 - Botswana 0WCQ
Jan 29, 2013Ethiopia 0 - Nigeria 2ACN
Jan 25, 2013Burkina Faso 4 - Ethiopia 0ACN
Jan 21, 2013Zambia 1 - Ethiopia 1ACN
Jan 11, 2013Ethiopia 2 - Tanzania 1FR
Nigeria
Mar 23, 2013Nigeria 1 - Kenya 1WCQ
Feb 10, 2013Nigeria 1 - Burkina Faso 0ACN
Feb 6, 2013Mali 1 - Nigeria 4ACN
Feb 3, 2013Cote d'Ivoire 1 - Nigeria 2ACN
Jan 29, 2013Ethiopia 0 - Nigeria 2ACN
Odds
Returns: Ethiopia £2010.00 Bet365 Sign up with bet365 for a free bet up to £200
Returns: Draw £110.00 WilliamHill Sign up with William Hill for a free bet up to £25
Returns: Nigeria £13.00 Coral Sign up today with Coral and get a £50 FREE bet - no strings attached!
Team News
Available Squads
-Sesay BasaGoalkeeper
12D. DebebeMidfielder
4A. ButakoDefender
6Alula GirmaDefender
-Biyadigligm ZewcDefender
-D. EstifanosMidfielder
-Youssef SalehMidfielder
-Adis Hintsa TekleMidfielder
7S. SaidStriker
9Getaneh KebedeStriker
11U. UkuriStriker
-J. TassewGoalkeeper
-Z. TadeleGoalkeeper
15Y. ZinabuDefender
5Aynalem Hailu RedaDefender
3Birhanu BogaleMidfielder
-Tesfaye SeyoumDefender
-F. IbrahimMidfielder
14Minyahile Teshome BeyeneMidfielder
-Behalu AssefaDefender
2S. BekeleMidfielder
1Vincent EnyeamaGoalkeeper
21Uwa Elderson EchiejileDefender
5E. AmbroseDefender
14Godfrey OboabonaDefender
6Kenneth OmeruoDefender
10John Obi MikelMidfielder
11Victor MosesMidfielder
13Fegor OgudeMidfielder
19Sunday MbaMidfielder
9EmenikeStriker
15UcheStriker
16Austin EjideGoalkeeper
23Chigozie AgbimGoalkeeper
2Joseph YoboDefender
6Azubuike EgwuekeDefender
21Juwon OshaniwaDefender
4Nwankwo ObiorahMidfielder
12Reuben GabrielMidfielder
4Ogenyi OnaziMidfielder
18E. UzoenyiStriker
20N. IgieborStriker
-Ahmed Musa
7B. IdeyeStriker
Players to Watch
Adane Girma
Adane Girma
Position: Midfielder
Squad Number: 17
Games Goals YC RC
2 4 0 0
Girma will be feeling the pressure to perform, as his team-mates rely on his attacking ability, and his coach will be looking to him for inspiration up front.
Emenike
Emenike
Position: Striker
Squad Number: 9
Games Goals YC RC
5 4 1 0
The goal scorer is the target man in attack for the Eagles, and he will be brimming with confidence after a positive start to the competition for him.
Prediction
The Super Eagles are aware that this encounter is make or break for them, and they will be coming out all guns blazing to ensure victory against the east Africans.
Editor's Prediction
Ethiopia 0
Nigeria 2
Results
Group A Matchday 3
Times In GMT
ALL MATCHES >>
 
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Didier Drogba Didier Drogba
Striker
Galatasaray 		6 3
Mbokani Mbokani
Striker
Anderlecht 		5 2
Alain Traoré Alain Traoré
Midfielder
FC Lorient 		5 0
Wakaso Wakaso
Midfielder
Espanyol 		4 3
Victor Moses Victor Moses
Midfielder
Chelsea 		4 2